CRACKCast E142 – Electrical and Lightning Injuries

This episode of CRACKCast covers Chapter 134 of Rosen's Emergency Medicine (9th Ed.): Electrical and Lightning Injuries.

Core questions:

• What is the relationship between current, voltage and resistance? How does this relate to potential for injury from electrical and lightning injuries?

• What are the types of electrical injury? (based on type of current)

• Differentiate between AC and DC current injuries.

• List 4 types of electrical burns and 5 mechanisms of lightning injury

• List 5 expected injury patterns for high-voltage and lightning injuries

• List clinical findings (early and late) associated with electrical injuries.

• List clinical findings associated with lightning exposure.

• Describe the skin injuries associated with lightning and electricity.

• Describe the modifications in field triage of multiple victims following a lightning strike.

• Describe the prehospital management of electrical injuries

• List 6 admission criteria for electrical/lightning injuries

• List 6 complications of high-voltage injuries

• Tips to avoid getting hit by lightning

Wisecracks:

• List six mechanisms of lightning injury.

• ECG features of lightning strike.

• What is keraunoparalysis?

• Describe the management of a pregnant patient (1st trimester and 2nd /3rd trimester) in the setting of electrical injury.

• How are perioral electrical burns managed? List three early and three late complications.